1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the field of telephones, and more particularly to caller ID systems.
2. Background of the Invention
A large percentage of phones, such as home or office phones, are equipped to receive caller identification (ID) information that identifies a caller to a party at the called phone. In turn, subscribers to a caller ID service typically use phone equipment that is configured to store caller ID information associated with the calling party, including the phone number of the calling party. This provides a convenient method for the called party to return a missed call when the called party is not available to answer a phone call. By storing the phone number, the caller ID service provides the essential information needed by the called party to contact the calling party of the missed call, as desired. Typically, the calling party information is stored in a call log that can be accessed through a user interface, such as a keyboard and graphical menu contained on an LCD display associated with the called party's phone. The user can select the phone number displayed and dial that number to reach the calling party. Ideally, this could be done by using a “select” key that serves to dial the selected number in a graphical menu.
However, depending on the configuration of a caller ID service, a central office (CO) may not provide the calling party number in a format that allows the called party to dial the calling party without performing additional operations. Often a number or numbers must be added or deleted from the calling party number provided to the user before the calling party number can be successfully dialed. For example, some COs may send a 10-digit caller number (CN) (the term “caller ID number” is used interchangeably herein with the term “calling party number” or “calling number” unless noted otherwise) that is stored in a caller ID message, in which the area code and local number of the caller are contained. However, the CO may still require the user to dial 11 digits to reach the calling party (i.e., “1” followed by the 10-digit CN). As a result the user can not dial directly from the CID log and needs to manually change the received CID number before dialing the called party.
In addition, for a call received from a caller in the same area code, a CO may send a 10-digit CID (e.g., receive aaa xxx xxxx), but may require the area code “aaa” to be deleted from the provided number in order to make the call (i.e., dial xxx xxxx). However, the number stored in the call log on the called party's phone will include the whole ten-digit number. Thus, the caller must manually remove the three-digit area code from the stored caller ID information before attempting to place a return call to the calling party.
Several approaches have been attempted to address these problems. Some systems offer a means to cycle through different dialing options, such that the number to be redialed is a variant of the number received. Based on a standard seven-digit sequence for a unique number within an area code, the user might be provided with a menu to select 7, 8, 10, and 11-digit variants of the received ID depending on whether the calling party is in an area code different from the user and whether the user must pre-pend the number “1” before dialing the calling party number. For example, a user might be required to hit the # key to select between 7, 8, 10, and 11-digit options. Another system provides an option for the user to manually add or remove the number “1” at the beginning of the calling party number and to add or remove an area code associated with the calling party. For example, a user may be provided with a menu that instructs the user to press the number “1” to add “1” to the dialing sequence for a received caller ID number as needed. This also effectively allows the user to manually choose a 7, 8, 10, or 11-digit variant of the calling party number. Still other systems allow a user to manually enter and store in a phone memory a number of Local Area Codes (LAC) that do not require a “1.” The system will then automatically pre-pend a “1” to any 10-digit CID that does not match any of the stored LACs. Still another system instructs a user to press the number “3” to prepend an area code in front of a displayed caller ID number before dialing the number.
To address the case where a CO requires that a local number be dialed without a pre-pended area code, some phones allow a user to enter and store a 3-digit Home Area Code (MAC). Upon receiving a 10-digit CID that starts with the 3-digit HAC, the phone system removes the HAC from the CID (i.e., changes the phone number from hhh xxx xxxx to xxx xxxx, wherein “hhh” is the HAC that was entered by user. All other CIDs (i.e., wherein area code does not match HAC) may be left unchanged.
However, each of the above approaches requires manual intervention of the user to either change the displayed CID before dialing the correct number, or to enter and store a set of local area codes when setting up a phone. Also, the user interfaces may not be intuitive or may burden the user with having to remember key codes, further discouraging a user from using those approaches. For example, it may not be intuitive to a large number of users that a # key be pushed to enable a user to select between 7, 8, 10, and 11-digit options for a caller ID) number, or that the number “3” needs to be depressed to add an area code to a number. Accordingly, the user often is confronted with the necessity of reading or rereading instructions or prompts to successfully perform such operations.